Quod Amor per mortem
by Medieval-Mystique
Summary: Cassia escapes Pompeii with her life, but the true cost is much dearer. "Saved" by the Senator she finds herself forced into a debt she has no intention of repaying.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Emperor Titus is certainly popular," Ariadne commented as she walked around the perimeter of the large marble room with her mistress. The floor was decorated with an intricate mosaic showing the proud eagle of Rome, Cassia's bright hazel eyes flecked with tints of green stared at the eagle, her lips almost curled in disdain but she managed to keep her face passive. She followed Ariadne's gaze over to the emperor who was being offered a selection of meat, fruits and wine by people begging his attention. She quickly looked away as her eyes accidentally met the gaze of a Roman Senator and she pointed the mosaic out to Ariadne in an attempt to get her to move along.

"The pattern is quite intricate," she said moving to the head of the eagle and conveniently towards the balcony of the emperor's villa. Ariadne looked confused as she found herself tugged away from the crush of people and out into the cool night air.

"Are you alright?" She asked Cassia in concern, "you have gone awfully pale…"

"I am fine; I need a bit of fresh air that is all."

"I will go get you something to drink," Ariadne moved to shuffle back inside but Cassia reached out and latched onto her friend's arm with a tighter grip than she intended. Ariadne looked at Cassia in surprise but the woman had no chance to explain for the doorway was filled up by the person she had been trying to avoid.

"Lady Cassia what a pleasant surprise." Her right hand detached itself from Ariadne's slender arm, only to be clasped by Senator Corvus's hand. His cheeks were flushed from drink but his eyes were alert as he raised Cassia's slender hand to his lips. "You," he waved at Ariadne, "fetch your mistress a drink."

"I am afraid we were just leaving Senator." Cassia apologised as she carefully extracted her hand from his grasp. "I am feeling a bit faint, Rome has certainly overwhelmed me."

"Then perhaps we shall meet again soon, I am having a gathering at my villa soon. Please accept my invitation, I should be glad to know you better." Cassia smiled and was relieved that she was saved from answering by a passing shout. Clasping Ariadne's arm she hurried from the villa.

"We should return to Pompeii," she said as they ducked through a line of slaves, "I am tired of the city and I miss my parents." _And the further I am from Corvus the better._ She thought to herself, she looked over her shoulder to see the Senator's eyes fixated on her. He raised his goblet in a silent toast, a strange smile playing upon his lips.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Cassia knelt beside the bodies of her parents and choked back a sob, around her the sounds of rocks crashing from the sky were muffled by the deathly silence of the stadium. The ground still trembled but the fear had gone from her veins, what did it matter if she died now? For a brief second all thoughts of Milo perished. All she could focus on was the body of her mother, crushed beneath a beam of the stadium. Her eyes slowly trailed to her father, it took her a few minutes to realise his death had not been an accident. _Corvus_, her hands clenched into fists as her vision was overwhelmed with the dried blood caking her father's tunic. _I hope he burns_, she silently prayed. _The Gods cannot possibly let a man such as he escape this!_ She was so focused on her hate, on her grief, that she didn't hear the approach of footsteps. She _felt_ a presence behind her, strong and menacing, and she knew without turning who it would be.

"How _could_ you?" She hissed refusing to turn around and meet his gaze. She could feel his green eyes staring at her intently, but she didn't trust herself to look at him.

"It was unfortunate but your father tried to kill me. It was purely self-defence."

"You _threatened_ him! You threatened _all_ of us," Cassia hissed, "he was defending us!" She could not blame her father for trying to kill the Senator; his words of breaking her still rang clearly through her ears. _I thought if I left Rome I would be free from him, I am such a fool._ A hand grasped her arm and pulled her roughly to her feet.

"Unfortunately I am unable to give you time to mourn your foolish parents, the gods obviously brought me back here to find you." He ignored her protests and picked her up as if she were nothing more than a moth.

"Put me down!" Cassia kicked against the Senator but her sandaled feet were useless against the armour he was clothed in. She didn't care that a scattering of Roman soldiers were sniggering as she was dumped unceremoniously in a chariot.

"You had best make yourself comfortable; it's a long way to Rome my dear." Corvus shackled her wrist to the chariot and stepped on, desperately Cassia looked around. _Milo, he is here somewhere. Stall Corvus!_ But before she could think of a way to stall him she heard a voice ring out through the stadium.

"_CORVUS_!" Hope flared through her veins and she pulled herself into a sitting position as she saw Milo running towards them.

"A thousand denarius to the man who brings me the head of that slave!"

"No!" Cassia cried out as the Roman soldiers advanced, swords raised, towards Milo. But her shout was drowned out by the thundering hooves of the horses as Corvus struck them into a gallop. Desperately she pulled at the shackle which was chained to the chariot, it was tight on her wrist but she was sure she could work it free. Overhead the sky thickened with plumes of smoke, great balls of fire shot across and smashed into the earth. _He will get us both killed!_ Cassia thought as she tried to keep her panic at bay. Fighting back the urge to scream she frantically looked around for a way to free herself. Her free hand began to scrabble at the wooden panels of the chariot, they were beginning to crumble from the impact of Corvus's erratic driving and she managed to pick at them. Every few seconds she would glance over her shoulder to see if Corvus was aware of her attempted escape, but he was focused solely on the horses and preventing them from crashing. Her eyes scanned the distance trying to see if Milo was following, she tried not to focus on his lack of appearance. "Yes!" She whispered as she broke a piece of wood free and began to pick at the lock, as she freed her hand she carefully stood up and moved to take the reins from Corvus. Her hands slipped along the reigns as she tried to grab them from him, but the Senator was stronger than her and used to surprises. With a flick of his wrist he sent Cassia sprawling back onto the chariot floor with a pained cry.

The sound of the hooves thundering broke through the darkness; a dull throbbing pain began to intensify as Cassia forced her eyes open. The vision which assaulted her eyes made her retch and she turned away so that she was facing Corvus's legs. Behind them the mountain was still spewing thick plumes of heavy black smoke, but something was rolling across the land. Something thick, fast and radiating an intense heat that she was sure she could feel even from this distance. There was no evidence of the city, Pompeii had been swallowed by the black mass. _Milo?_ The name crept into her mind and she forced herself to sit up and look over her shoulder, desperately her eyes swept across the land but there was no speck riding towards them. Gradually the chariot began to slow down, thoughts of rolling off the chariot and onto the grass flickered into Cassia's mind. But she was too tired to act on the impulse, tears trickled from her eyes and she rubbed at them vigorously but she only succeeded in grinding ash further into them.

The chariot lurched to a halt and shuddered as Corvus stepped down. Roughly he pulled Cassia to her feet, making her gasp as she poked herself in the eye. She tried to pull free but Corvus's hands were wrapped around her upper arms in a bone-crushing grip.

"I will not tolerate disobedience from you." He hissed, "Your slave is dead. No one left in Pompeii could have survived _that_," he nodded towards the sea of heat and Cassia closed her eyes trying to stop the tears from flowing. "_Look_ at your precious Pompeii. Your parents will rot there for eternity; your slave will rot there. _This_ is the fate of those who defy Rome. _Open your eyes_." Cassia opened her eyes; she could barely tell where Pompeii lay, all she could see was a sea of fire. _Do not think about Milo…he has survived life as a gladiator he could still be alive._

"When do we reach Rome?" Cassia asked bitterly, she managed to keep her voice steady.

"Two days, perhaps less. The horses are fast, I shall give them a chance to rest and then we shall resume our journey. Once we have reached Rome I will be gracious and give you a few days to mourn your parents, after that we shall wed."

"I am not going to marry you," Cassia spat, "I will tell the Emperor how you murdered my father! How you have abducted –"

"_Abducted_ you? Cassia I have _saved_ you, you foolish child. Had I not sent you to the villa you would have been crushed alongside your mother, had I not found you beside your parents you would have died. You did not have to hear the screams as we left Pompeii –"

"I heard the screams!" Cassia hissed finding the strength to pull herself free, "I watched my friend die as the villa you so kindly locked me up in crumbled into the sea! You killed her just as you killed my parents; it is only by some cruel trickery of the gods that I find myself at your mercy." Cassia spat at Corvus's feet, "I am not a fool. The only reason I have not tried to run is because you have four horses." She thought Corvus would be angry but instead he laughed and pulled her close.

"I admire your spirit." Cassia winced as he wound his hand into her already knotted hair. Her nose wrinkled at the musky smell of sweat which radiated from Corvus. _You probably do not smell much better,_ she thought as she looked down at her torn and filthy clothes. She moved away from Corvus unable to stand the smell for long. "There is a lake close by, perhaps you would care to join me and wash?"

"I would rather rot," Cassia retorted. She had no intentions of baring herself to him. She sat defiantly on the grass and drew her knees up to her chest, she kept her eyes focused on the lake that he had mentioned which was conveniently in the opposite direction of Pompeii. She couldn't bring herself to stare at her former home. _I truly thought I would be safer in Pompeii than in Rome…is this my fault?_ She swiped the back of her hand across her eyes, at the fresh sting of ash she carefully made her way down to the lake and washed her arms, face and hands so at least she would not push more of the dirt and grit into her eyes. She looked over her shoulder and saw Corvus was busy securing the horses to a tree, could she quickly bathe and dress before he noticed? _You have nothing to dry yourself with,_ a voice pointed out. She stared down at her reflection and flinched, no longer caked in dirt her skin was a deathly pale except. Even in her distorted reflection she could see that her eyes were red and swollen, her face puffy from the ash she had inhaled and choked on. "What are you doing?" Cassia demanded as Corvus hauled her to her feet and dragged her back to the carriage.

"You were wise enough to point out that you would not escape while I had four horses." He calmly held her wrists above her head and looped the shackle through the chariots rim so he could shackle both her hands in place. "This way I can bathe in peace and not come back to find my horses and chariot missing." Cassia spat at him angrily, feeling a mixture of grim satisfaction and laughter bubbling up inside of her as she watched her spittle slide down his cheek. It left a pale streak through his dirt caked face. "I truly will enjoy breaking this spirit of yours," he laughed coldly as he shed his cloak and draped it over the chariot. "Be a good girl and make sure thieves do not steal my clothes now." Cassia turned away as he proceeded to undress and found herself unable to stare at anything other than Pompeii. As the sound of his footsteps retreating greeted her ears she saw he had done this on purpose. Shackled to the chariot she not only couldn't escape, but she was stuck facing the destruction of her home. _It is my fault…I angered the gods…_

Fresh tears stung her eyes as she thought of Milo, she could only pray he had escaped but after the events of the day she was beginning to lose her faith in the gods.

The sun was sinking low into the sky, the air grew colder and unable to wrap her arms around herself Cassia began to shiver. Part of her wondered if Corvus had unhitched one of the horses and gone off to Rome alone but the sight of his clothes laying just before the chariot made her realise he had done no such thing. She wasn't sure if this reassured her or not. On the one hand if he had rode off then she would be free, on the other hand her freedom was being chained to a chariot with no hope of anyone coming to release her. She would surely starve. _At least I would be with Milo_; she thought bitterly but instantly pushed the thought away. She could not believe he was dead. She had to keep telling herself that he was alive; even if it was futile…she could not lose all hope. She heard the Senator's heavy footsteps and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut so she wouldn't have to stare at his naked form. Even through her closed eyes she could see the burning city of Pompeii smothered in the fiery innards of the mountain. What had happened? The mountain had shaken many times in the past; she had grown up with those tremors. Never before had the earth split open and swallowed people whole. Never before had it spit liquid fire!

"There is no point in dwelling on this tragedy," Corvus scolded her as he unshackled her wrists. "Refresh yourself and come straight back, I see no point in riding throughout the night. We will sleep here and begin our journey to Rome at sunrise." Cassia rubbed her shoulders which had begun to ache from their uncompromising position over the past few hours. Her eyes flicked towards the horses without thinking and she felt Corvus press the blade of his sword lightly against her neck. "Do not think to try my patience further," he warned her and slowly sheathed his sword. Cassia made her way back down to the lake and scooped up a handful of water, the cool liquid felt refreshing against her parched throat. She wondered how much bad air she had inhaled, she was sure she could feel the water pushing down thick clumps of dirt and she worried about what it would do to her. _Do not think about it, just drink._ She made sure to be quick; she did not want the Senator coming down to fetch her.

As she made her way back to the carriage one of the horses whinnied and began to paw at the ground. Without thinking she stepped over to it and held out her hands for it to sniff. "I wish I knew how to speak to you like Milo," she sighed. "To comfort you…" The horse gently butted its head against her shoulder and Cassia smiled weakly, she rested her hand against its soft nose and studied it curiously. Each of the four horses had a glossy black coat, mane and tail. They had looked so ferocious when the Senator had abducted her, but now they looked vulnerable. She found herself winding her slender hand into the horse's mane, staring at the contrasting colours. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent; it stood out against the horse's black mane. _Could I outrun him?_ For a few seconds she considered pulling herself up onto the horses back, to gallop away. But she knew the Senator would outride her, he had most likely grown up on horseback whereas she had ridden mostly in carriages. She could ride, but not at the pace she would need to ride to escape. As the horse calmed she slowly detached her hand and forced herself to return to the chariot. She gasped as she found the Senator standing close behind her, a look of fury in his green eyes.

"I thought I instructed you to come straight back?"

"The horse was frightened," Cassia strode past him refusing to meet his gaze. "I thought it best to calm him rather than letting him work the others up into a frenzy." She was about to lie on the grass when the Senator pushed her into the chariot. Once more he shackled her wrist, but this time he only shackled one so her arms would not be tormented throughout the night. "Wha –"

"Forgive me for not trusting you but I am taking no chances." Corvus settled beside her in the carriage and swept his cloak over them as a makeshift blanket. "Normally I would never presume to share a bed with you before we are wed, but this is hardly a bed and these are extraordinary circumstances." Cassia glared at him as he traced a finger lightly across her lips. _If he tries to kiss me I will bite him_, she thought half-hoping that he would try and kiss her. To cause him pain would give her great satisfaction. "You really are quite beautiful when you are angry," he murmured huskily but said no more. Abruptly he turned so he was on his back, one arm behind his head, the other pulling her close. Too frightened to fall asleep Cassia instead stared up at the sky. She was sure she could see the flickerings of the fires within Pompeii but she knew she was being a fool. Pompeii was gone.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Sunlight blinded Cassia as she slowly opened her eyes the next morning. The sky was surprisingly clear, and for a brief second she thought that perhaps the previous day had been a nightmare. As she moved to sit up the reality came crashing down on her and she winced as her shoulder protested at the new movement. The Senator was already up but had left his cape around her as a blanket. The thought of the Senator had her suddenly alert and she bolted upright kicking off his cape she began to pull at the shackles desperately.

"Do you really think that even if you were to free yourself you would be able to escape?" The Senator was smiling coldly as he knelt down beside her and took her free hand in his large ones. "Cassia my sweet you need to calm down, you have been through quite the ordeal and working yourself up like this will not help." She resisted the urge to spit at him, to swear at him. Instead she stopped pulling at the shackles and allowed herself to slump forwards submissively. _Let him think you are giving up, give him time to let his guard down._ "Would you like me to unshackle you?" Weakly she nodded unable to look at him and meet his gaze; she knew that if she looked into those smug green eyes she would strike out at him. As her hand was freed she rubbed at her chafed wrist and carefully climbed to her feet. "Go down to the lake and freshen up while I finish cooking a fish. Once we have broken our fast we will begin our journey to Rome." Wordlessly Cassia made her way down to the small lake and refreshed herself. It took all her self-control to stop herself from stripping and plunging into the cool water, she had tried to wash herself as best she could but she was still caked in filth. Her hair was matted, her clothes torn and dirty. But she could not bring herself to bathe with the Senator so close, and what would she dry herself with? The sun was pleasantly warm and she longed to lounge in it whilst it dried her skin, but once again she thought of the Senator. She had no intentions of exposing herself to him.

_I slept in his arms_, the thought struck her like a blow and she choked back a sob. What would her parents and Milo think of her? She looked over her shoulder to see if she was being watched, but the Senator was nowhere in sight. She let the tears flow, she did not want anyone in Rome to witness her grief nor did she wish for the Senator to see her like this. But she knew she would barely get time to herself once they had reached their destination, she could spend her time wallowing in grief when she would have to use every possible second plotting her escape. Once she was sure she had cried herself empty she splashed water onto her face, a few clumps of ash broke free from her hair and fell into the water. She watched mesmerised as they floated on the water's surface, bobbing lazily away from her. She could hear the soft crunch of grass being crunched under the Senator's feet and she forced herself to compose.

"I was beginning to think you had drowned."

"No. The gods have for some reason spared me…and while it may be for their mere amusement I am hardly about to go against their wishes and take my own life." Stonily Cassia pushed herself off the ground and turned to face the Senator.

"I was not suggesting you would be so drastic my sweet," the Senator gently rested a hand on her lower back and propelled her up the slope and towards the chariot where the aromatic smell of a fish cooking overwhelmed her. He gestured to the cape which he had laid on the ground but Cassia shook her head.

"Forgive me Senator but I find I have no appetite." She gasped as the Senator forced her onto her knees on the cape and smoothly knelt beside her.

"Do not try my patience Cassia," he warned slipping a slither of fish between her lips. "You are lucky you did not kill us yesterday."

"_Lucky_?" Cassia spat bitterly, "you think I am lucky? You _murdered_ my parents and now you are abducting me!"

"Do not be melodramatic," the Senator snapped as he began dividing the fish up between them. Cassia noticed how he gave himself a larger portion but she was thankful, she suddenly realised that she truly wasn't hungry. "Your mother's death was a tragic accident one that I could have died in! I did not murder your father, as I have already told you _he_ tried to kill _me_ it was nothing more than self-defence. As for abducting you that is foolish."

"Then what do you call shackling me to a chariot?" Cassia asked him waspishly, "I do not want to go to Rome with you!"

"You are too young to know what you want or what is best for you. I was hardly going to leave you in Pompeii and you _did _agree to become my wife."

"To protect my family, why should I marry you now that they are dead?"

"You would go back on your word?" Cassia bit her lip to stop herself retorting and turned to stare at the small fire, "you will feel differently once we are in Rome. You will want for nothing and be able to mix with the finest people of society. Providing of course you learn your place."

"I have no place in Rome." In a desperate act of defiance she picked her portion of the fish up and threw it as far as she could. _Let the birds have it,_ she thought with disdain. Exasperated the Senator pulled her towards the carriage and shackled her to it once more.

"I had hoped this would not be necessary," he growled at her as he reattached his cape and gathered the reins of the horses. "We will ride until sunset, perhaps then you will appreciate the efforts I went to finding food for you."

"I would rather starve."

"Then you may do, but I will still be stopping at sunset. I have no intentions of weakening myself to satisfy you." Cassia squeezed her eyes tightly shut as he whipped the horses into a gallop. The thudding of the chariot was uncomfortable and as they galloped over uneven ground it took all her self-control not to cry out in pain when her shoulder felt as if it were being wrenched from its socket. Eventually the Senator joined one of the roads, but Cassia could not quite make out where they were. She was beginning to feel dizzy and sick, part of her wished she hadn't been so hasty and thrown the fish away but it was only a small part. She had truly meant it when she'd said she would rather starve. The chariot lurched to an abrupt halt and Cassia looked up confused as the Senator turned to hurriedly unshackle her.

"I thought you were not going to stop until sunset?" She taunted as he pulled her to her feet.

"There are people ahead; I do not want whisperings about my bride being uncontrollable."

"There will be more than whisperings when we get to Rome." Cassia smiled sweetly but gasped as she was struck across the face, the impact was so hard she bit down on her tongue by accident and blood welled inside her mouth. She spat a mouthful of blood on the ground and faced the Senator with empty eyes. "A bruise can be easily explained by your traumatic experience," he shrugged turning her around so that she faced forwards. The Senator pressed his front against her back so that she was trapped between him and the chariot, his chin rested on her head and he whipped the horses once more but this time had them go at a slower pace. As they drew closer to the people on the road curiosity got the better of Cassia and she found herself studying them intently. Many of them were in a similar state as she, their clothes were caked with dirt and many clutched crying children as they stumbled forwards.

"Senator stop, please." She begged him, "these people may be from Pompeii – we may know some of them!" She was desperately searching the crowd of people for a familiar face, for one in particular. But all she found were empty eyes and soot caked faces. The Senator ignored her pleas and instead urged the horses on faster. "We should help them!" Cassia tried to protest but he cut her off.

"How? We have no food, no water…all we have are the clothes we stand in. What can we possibly do?"

"Offer them the horses!" She was clutching at straws and the Senator laughed at her attempts.

"We are not stopping so you can pathetically attempt to find your slave my sweet. Just accept that he is dead, if my men failed then Vulcan surely would have succeeded." Cassia felt her legs grow weak and she gripped the edge of the chariot to stop herself from falling. The chariot was beginning to pick up speed as they raced past the stragglers, Cassia closed her eyes as the scenery began to blur together. Her hands clutched the chariot so tightly her knuckles shone white, she was afraid they would be paralyzed to the chariot by the time they finally stopped riding. The sun was beating down painfully hot; the breeze of the chariot did little to comfort Cassia but instead threw clumps of dirt and dust spraying against them.

"Senator please can we _stop_!" She begged as her knees gave way, her body sagged but she was supported by the Senator's body crushing her against the chariot. She felt herself lifted up and laid on the soft grass, but even the grass offered her no respite from the heat. Her head pounded as if someone were throwing rocks in her brain, each time she tried to open her eyes all she could see were thick black spots. Something smooth was pressed against her lips and she drank greedily as water trickled down her throat. The water settled heavily in her stomach and did little to cure the weakness in her knees.

"We have to keep riding Cassia," the Senator growled as she collapsed back onto the ground. She didn't question where he had gotten the water, she knew he had most likely bullied it from someone and couldn't bring herself to face yet more guilt. She couldn't hear what the Senator was saying, she could hear his voice rumbling and causing the ground to vibrate, but as she fell into darkness she was unaware of what his words meant.

"Cassia, wake up." A small groan escaped Cassia's lips as she felt someone pushing at her shoulder insistently. "_Cassia_!" Groggily she forced her eyes open, her mouth felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton and her throat was scratching painfully. She tried to sit up but something kept her limbs bound in place, as if she were wrapped in a cocoon. When she had finally managed to force her eyes open she found herself bundled up in the Senator's cape, the horses were tethered to a tree close by to a small stream. The sky was no longer blindingly bright but a deep rich blue and blazoned with stars. Strong hands helped her to untangle herself from the cape and she was handed the wineskin which was filled once more with cool water. "Eat," he handed her some meat which he had roasted on another fire. "Do not think to throw this away." Cassia loathed herself but she was too hungry to even contemplate throwing the food away in protest. She did not want to pass out in front of him anymore, the thought of being unconscious around him…the thought made her shudder. She took a deep drink from the wineskin and stood up to go and freshen herself up. She could feel the Senator's green eyes sparking with fury as he watched her move away, but she couldn't bring herself to speak to him.

When she returned to the fireside she was surprised to see that the Senator had stripped off his armour and propped it in the chariot. She couldn't remember when she had seen him without his armour, even though she had never seen him fighting. _He does need to fight; surely that is a skill far beneath him now._ She thought of the men who had accompanied him in Pompeii, the one who had saved him from the spear Milo had hurled towards the Senator during the games. _Are any of them alive?_ The Senator had given them the order to kill Milo, but the mountain had been about to reach its destructive peak…had anyone escaped?

"Tomorrow we will arrive at Rome," the Senator pulled her down onto the grass beside him and threw the cape around them like a blanket. "When we reach my villa I will have fresh clothes brought to you and a feast to welcome you." His hand trailed down to her thigh where he stroked the soft skin through the tear of her clothes. Cassia gasped and pushed him away.

"I do not think a feast is appropriate…nor is _this_!" She tried to push him away but the Senator rolled on top of her, pinning her hands to the ground at the height of her shoulders.

"You will be my wife when we arrived in Rome, what is not appropriate?"

"I am not your wife yet! I do not intend for you to use me and discard me when we reach Rome!" Cassia hissed trying to muster up strength to push him off. "I will scream if you do not get off!" She realised that screaming would be futile, she had no idea where they were but there was most likely not a soul around for miles. She would most likely only succeed in spooking the horses. To her utter surprise though the Senator laid back down beside her.

"I will enjoy breaking this spirit of yours," he yawned pulling her close and forcing her to rest her cheek against his chest. One hand encircled her waist keeping her pinned to his side while the other stroked her shoulder.

"So you keep saying." Cassia muttered turning to look up at the sky, she was thankful when she heard his breathing deepen signifying that he had succumbed to sleep. "You will never break my spirit," she whispered.

As the city of Rome came into view on the horizon Cassia could have wept. Had it really only been a week since she had left the city intent on never returning? Now not only was she returning, but she was returning as the betrothed of the very many she had been running away from. _The gods are cruel;_ she thought blinking back tears as the Senator directed the chariot to his villa which overlooked the river. Slaves came rushing from all directions at the sound of the horses' hooves, all of them looking surprised at the soot stained clothes both the Senator and Cassia were dressed in. As he pushed Cassia from the chariot the Senator began barking orders in all directions.

"Inform the Emperor Titus of my turn and organise a meeting with him, I bring grave news. _You_," he pointed to a female slave who was carrying a bucket of water. "Take my betrothed to the baths and find her some fresh clothes." Cassia couldn't bring herself to meet the Senator's gaze as he tenderly stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "I will come for you soon and introduce you to the Emperor as my betrothed." Swiftly he pressed his lips against hers. His lips were warm but rough, he crushed the back of her head with his hand as he held her mouth hostage with his own. A tear slipped down Cassia's cheek but she ignored it, how different would this kiss have been with Milo? Her first kiss? Would it have been one she would treasure? Would it be clumsy and unsure? As the Senator's tongue slipped between her lips and began teasing at her own she forced herself to remain motionless. She tried not to respond and instead closed her eyes. _Do not think of Milo,_ she thought desperately. She did not want to picture him, if she allowed her mind to fool herself that she was in Milo's arms instead of the Senator's then she may respond to the kiss. The Senator broke away, unperturbed by her lack of response and pushed her in the direction of the slave she was to follow. "Welcome home my sweet!" His voice was cruel and full of laughter, it haunted Cassia as she marched away.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Neither Cassia nor the slave woman spoke, normally Cassia would have asked her name and tried to make conversation but she was too exhausted to try and be friendly. Used to stripping off in front of servants and slaves, Cassia found herself hesitating about undressing in front of the unknown woman.

"I…" She trailed off embarrassed, it was ridiculous but she was suddenly self-conscious about her ash caked appearance. The woman smiled reassuringly and left Cassia alone where she hurriedly stripped and plunged into the heated water. She submerged herself completely and ran her hands through her hair trying to shake out as much of the ash and dirt as humanly possible. When she emerged she was horrified to see the Senator swimming towards her. "What are you doing?" She gasped turning around to hug the side of the large bath to try and protect herself.

"We will be meeting with the Emperor soon; I can hardly see him covered in dust." Cassia looked at him scornfully; unlike her he had not been bothered with protecting his modesty and had bathed during their journey. Only his clothes held the tell-tale signs of their ordeal. His hand found her waist and stroked it lightly; Cassia gasped and pushed the hand away. "Cassia we will be married soon –"

"_Soon_," she hissed, "we are not yet married and this is inappropriate! I am not going to have people whispering that I am one of your whores!"

"There is no one around and none of my slaves would dare spread such rumours."

"Senator _please_," Cassia whispered realising how stupid she had been to let herself be left alone.

"We are alone; there is no need for such formalities." Cassia closed her eyes tightly as she felt her hair pulled away from her neck and the Senator's lips brushing against the skin. "At least let me look at you." He tried to turn her hips so she would face him but Cassia resisted. "What is the harm in looking if you are to be mine?"

"I am not a horse to be examined," Cassia whispered feeling sick to her stomach. She thought back to the night when she had met with the Senator at her father's villa, is this how Milo had felt when he was put on display for the guests that evening? She squeezed her eyes shut as water flooded down her head, she could feel the Senator's fingers weaving through her hair as he washed out the last remaining pieces of ash.

"When we meet with the Emperor we will inform him of the tragedy that took place, but I will withhold that your father question his competence. That a rebellion was forming, and that he tried to kill me of course."

"These are all _lies_," Cassia whispered gripping the edge of the bath and forcing herself to keep looking ahead. She could not believe that her father would have tried to kill the Senator, but even if he had surely it was justified? The Senator had come into their home and threatened them! He had abducted Cassia!

"I am sure he would like to toast our engagement but I shall think tomorrow would be a better occasion to celebrate. It does seem distasteful delivering such sorrowful news and celebrating only a few hours later." He continued to pour water over head and massage out the dirt, Cassia was surprised by how gentle his fingers were as they carefully wove through her hair. As his hands slowly worked their way down to her shoulders Cassia moved closer to the edge of the bath so her front was pressed against it, she crossed her arms over herself to try and stop him from making an inappropriate grope.

"My lady I have some clothes which may fit you," Cassia's head snapped up to see the brunette slave standing several feet away and holding up a soft green gown. Her eyes were focused on the floor but she seemed unfazed with the Senator's presence.

"Sen – Corvus please," Cassia whispered, "my parents entrusted me to travel to Rome alone once before. I do not wish to dishonour their memory by bringing disgrace upon my father's name." She turned her head so she could look at him over her shoulder; he was standing so close she could see beads of sweat on his collarbone. "If we marry I have no doubt that you will take every available opportunity to satisfy your lust," Cassia whispered, "surely you can leave me be until then?" She could not bring herself to say _when_, she longed for a way out of this betrothal. _It is not yet official…perhaps the Emperor will try to dissuade him!_ The Senator had certainly not been short of choices for female companionship when she had arrived in Rome, she had never seen him with the same woman twice. She could only hope that the lure of a willing woman would prove more enticing for the Senator than her.

"Very well." Cassia squeezed her eyes tightly shut as the Senator pulled himself from the bath, she could tell the Senator was laughing from the sound of his voice as he spoke. "Do not be long, we have a meeting with the Emperor and I will not have him kept waiting."

"He has gone my lady," the slave spoke softly when Cassia didn't move or open her eyes. She was terrified the Senator was standing there, waiting for her to emerge from the bath. When she finally forced her eyes open it was to find the slave woman smiling reassuringly and holding out a long piece of white cloth. Cassia gratefully accepted the fabric and wrapped herself up in it. She followed the woman into a small chamber just off from the bath and sat down in front of a polished piece of looking glass.

"How long have you been in Rome?" Cassia asked nervously.

"Since I was a child, my family were killed when the Romans invaded except my brother and I. He died in the arena three years ago; I was a gift to the Senator."

"A _gift_?" Cassia could not keep the disgust from her voice and she winced as the woman pulled at a tangle in her hair.

"Not as you are thinking my lady. The Senator does not touch slaves; he has no need for us. But his household was mainly male staff; there were no ladies to attend his women. I was intended to act as maid to any female guests." Cassia wanted to ask what the Senator was like, to see if her life would be as bad as she dreaded but she couldn't bring herself too. What if he was outside listening? Or if this woman reported whatever Cassia said? _I can trust no one…I am all alone._ She thought of Ariadne and felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"Forgive me," she said wiping it away hurriedly. "I am not normally…"

"We could tell from both the state of your clothes that you and the Senator have had a rough time. You do not need to say anything, but if you want to talk I am here." Cassia smiled weakly and nodded to show she was thankful, but her throat had constricted making it impossible to talk.

"I am Cassia," she finally managed to introduce herself as the woman helped her to dress in soft green robes. They emphasised the green flecks in her own eyes making them seem lighter. She turned to look at herself in the looking glass; her hair was back to its glossy chestnut and was piled on top of her head with a few ringlets left to frame her face and caress her slender shoulders. "Thank you," she said feeling slightly better now that she was clean. "I am sorry I should have asked earlier but what is your name?"

"Accalia," the woman laughed at Cassia's shocked expression. "The Romans who first bought me renamed me…I cannot remember what my parents called me. And perhaps it is for the best. Rome is my home now, as it is yours I am sure.

"Cassia you look beautiful," the Senator greeted Cassia by brushing his lips against the back of her right hand. Accalia stood a little behind and dutifully looked at the floor. "The Emperor will be arriving shortly; in the meantime will you allow me to give you a brief tour of the villa?" He waved his hand in dismissal at Accalia and the woman disappeared so swiftly Cassia was sure she had been a vision. Cassia nodded and rested her hand on the arm that he offered her. "Give it a few days and you will feel perfectly at home, you already know the city after all." The Senator led her out into the courtyard where a large marble fountain took centre piece among lush green grass and intricate mosaics. Cassia walked up to the fountain, the spray of water glittering like diamonds in the afternoon sunlight. "When we are married it will be your task to run the household." Cassia looked down at her reflection in the water and suppressed herself from pulling a face. Her mother had indeed taught her, her duty but her reflection in the water was that of a child. She wasn't ready to run a household yet, especially that of a Roman Senator! "You are an intelligent girl I am sure you will learn fast."

"I will try my best," Cassia turned from the fountain and wandered around the courtyard with him. The air was rich with fragrant flowers and fat bees buzzed happily around the centre of the brightly coloured plants. Pillars lined the length of the courtyard and she watched people walking to and fro. The villa was elegantly furnished, the rooms were large, bright and airy she thought wistfully of her parents' villa and blinked back tears.

"Senator Corvus the Emperor has arrived," a young boy found the Senator and his betrothed in a small room furnished with a large table and maps strewn across the surface and walls.

"Corvus…_what_ are you going to say to the Emperor?" Cassia asked quietly, her eyes were focused on the map in front of her which showed how far the Romans had travelled and the lands they had conquered. "I will not sit by while you lie about my parents. They would never have plotted against Rome…" She felt cool fingers brush against her cheek and she looked up into the Senator's green eyes.

"I am merely going to tell him about the tragedy. As long as you behave yourself I see no reason to further disgrace your parents." Cassia followed him from the room and down to a large hall where they found the Emperor Titus being fanned by several slaves. After formalities were met a slave brought in a platter of fruits, wine and goblets before the Senator dismissed all but two who remained fanning the emperor. Cassia noticed that only two goblets had been brought and she forced herself to remain calm, was this one of the ways he thought to humiliate her? She poured wine for Titus and handed it to him demurely, keeping her eyes down and a small smile on her lips. When she handed Corvus his own goblet she resisted accidentally spilling it on him.

"Your messenger said that you bring grave news Corvus, yet what could be grave about having such a beauty as your bride?"

"Emperor Titus I travelled to Pompeii to speak with Cassia's father about investing in the city, unfortunately before terms could be properly agreed the city was destroyed. Mount Vesuvius began to throw out fire, Cassia and I were fortunate to escape with our lives and I am unsure of how many others made it." Cassia studied Titus for his reaction; the man took a deep drink from his goblet as he digested the news.

"I will of course send out a group of soldiers immediately to see if there are any survivors or if the city can be salvaged. I am sorry for the loss of your home my dear," Titus turned to address Cassia. "What of your parents? Are they in Rome?"

"No…they…" Cassia's throat tightened and she looked down at her hands which trembled lightly.

"Unfortunately Cassia's parents expired in the tragedy. I was with them; her mother's parting words were to protect her daughter at all costs. I assume it was a small comfort to both of them knowing that I intended to marry their daughter, they died in peace knowing she would at least be well cared for." Corvus rested a large hand on Cassia's shoulder and she felt tears spill down her cheeks.

"When is the joyous occasion to be held?" Titus asked reaching out to squeeze Cassia's hand and smiling in a fatherly way at her. "You should not feel guilty about being excited. I myself am a father; I look forward to the day when I can see my own daughters wed. I am sure both your parents are in the afterlife eagerly watching for you to be married."

"A…the Senator has not yet chosen a date." Cassia whispered unable to look at of the men. She felt like a rabbit being hunted, both looked at her eagerly. The Senator with a predatory look, the Emperor with one of sympathy yet eager anticipation.

"Considering the circumstances perhaps it would be best to dispose with formalities? The marriage of a Roman Senator is a cause for celebration and given the tragic circumstances…perhaps sooner would be better." Titus stood up and raised his goblet, Cassia and Corvus followed suit but without a goblet all Cassia could do was force her hands to remain loosely at her sides. "Tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" Cassia choked, "but…I am still in grieving!"

"Cassia!" Corvus looked down at her horrified, "you are being selfish! The whole of Rome is in mourning for the loss of Pompeii, what better way to lift the spirits of our people than by celebrating the marriage of a Roman Senator and the surviving daughter of the man who governed Pompeii?"

"Senator Corvus is correct my dear," Emperor Titus looked at her sternly. "As the wife of a Roman Senator you need to put our citizens first. Let them have cause for celebration, surely it is what your parents would want?" Desperate to leave, to bury her head in her arms and sob, Cassia could only force herself to nod. How could she tell this man that, that would be the last thing her parents would want? "Then it is settled, I understand you have arranged for a feast tomorrow Corvus? We shall hold the ceremony before then and shall toast you both at the feast."


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

_Milo. Milo. Milo._ The name repeated itself in Cassia's mind throughout the entire day of the wedding. She had barely slept as bolts of fabric had been delivered to the villa in order to prepare the bride for the upcoming festivities. As her measurements were taken and women argued over what style suited her best Cassia could only stare blankly at the wall opposite. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ Surely if he had survived Pompeii he would have arrived in Rome by now? It had not taken the Senator long to bring them back, and Milo had not been hampered down by a fainting woman. _But he did not have four horses…what if he and Atticus had not found any horses? Why did we return to the stadium! _Unable to stop herself Cassia burst into tears, Accalia took control and instantly dismissed the other women and closed the door to Cassia's small room firmly. Corvus had seen no point in setting her up in elaborately furnished rooms when she would only be sleeping alone for one night. She had been given a small bare room with a comfortable bed and looking glass. _Milo. Milo. Milo._

"Cassia what is wrong?" Accalia gently pulled the crimson veil from Cassia's head and folded it up neatly.

"I cannot marry the Senator…please Accalia can you visit him and beg him to postpone it?"

"But why would you want to do such a thing?" Accalia could not understand why her mistress was so eager to postpone the wedding. The Senator was a handsome man, and rich. Did she not realise how lucky she was?

"_Please_ Accalia…I would not ask if it was not so urgent…" Slowly Accalia nodded and left Cassia alone with her thoughts, which consisted of one word only. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ Pacing around the room Cassia awaited for the slave's return, she knew she would not bring the news that Cassia longed to hear. Both Corvus and Titus had been eager to go ahead with the wedding on such short notice. No one seemed to give a second thought to the inappropriateness.

"Cassia," she heard Corvus's voice and flinched at the drunken slur. "Are you decent?"

"Yes…" She saw no point in telling him no, he would only burst through the door. Quickly she swung a cloak around her shoulders and moved as far from the bed as possible so as not to encourage him.

"You send a _slave_ to my quarters to tell me you do not wish to marry me?"

"You _know_ I do not wish to marry you," Cassia pointed out. "I just do think marrying so quickly is wise Corvus! What if tomorrow is an auspicious day? What if we start our marriage with bad luck?"

"Cassia," Corvus sighed and pulled her close. His palms were warm and slick with sweat, his face was flushed and his eyes bright but she could see the determination in them. "Do you think after Pompeii you could suffer more bad luck? The gods clearly wish for us to be married, we barely escaped Pompeii with our lives – you did not see how close we were to death. I do not wish to hear you making pitiful excuses, we are to marry tomorrow." Corvus tilted her head up and pressed his lips against hers hungrily. His breath was sour with wine and Cassia almost retched as his tongue slithered into her mouth. Accalia knocked on the door and Cassia quickly stepped out of Corvus's grip as the woman entered the room. "Finish your gown and go to bed, it will be a long day tomorrow."

_Milo. Milo. Milo._ Cassia could not look at her wedding outfit, the white dress was belted with the traditional _nodus herculeus_ that Corvus would have to untie later that night. It flattered her slender figure but mercifully that was hidden for the moment under her large crimson veil. It was the veil which sickened her the most, the colour of fire reminded her too strongly of the circumstances which had led to this marriage. All she could see was a red haze. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ She followed the wedding party to the temple, her eyes barely taking in any of the sights around her. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ She knew that the sacrifice of a poor animal had taken place, but what kind she couldn't tell. Her eyes were blurred with tears, all she felt was her hand grasping the knife and Corvus's hand guiding hers in a plunging motion. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ The feast passed in much the same way, she was thankful that she was laying on one of the chairs but she could not bring herself to eat. Speeches were made, people clapped, toasted and laughed but Cassia took none of it in. She was sure she smiled in the right places, her facial muscles felt tight and Corvus did not seem displeased. She must have been doing something right.

_Milo. Milo. Milo._

All too soon she was being pulled towards Corvus's quarters, the guests returning to the banqueting hall with much jeering and laughter. The veil was discarded and the tightly knotted belt was deftly untied. Corvus's hands clasped the back of her head and pressed her close, his mouth crushing hers as he slipped his hands down to her shoulders and waist, as if he were eager to memorise the curves of her figure. When he broke the kiss it was to guide her hands to the clasps of his cape. Her fingers felt numb and she clumsily relieved him of his cape but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't remove his large breastplate.

_Milo. Milo. Milo._

"How do you wear this?" She suddenly gasped as he guided her hands to the fastenings and she bore the brunt of the weight. She almost dropped the decorative armour in shock and was surprisingly thankful when he helped her to set it down. She stared at the golden breastplate in amazement, no wonder he had been able to pick her up so effortlessly.

_Milo. Milo. Milo._

"I did not become a Roman Senator by writing poetry all day my dear," Corvus swung her up in his arms and gently lowered her onto the bed. She resisted closing her eyes and focused on the ceiling of his sleeping chamber. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ She let the name flow through her veins, as Corvus's hands began caressing her she closed her names and felt her breathing growing more erratic. _Milo. Milo. Milo._ She could feel Corvus moving with her, his hands stroking her legs and bracing her hips. When she opened her eyes she found herself staring not into the Senator's light green eyes but Milo's deep black ones. She smiled and raised her head to kiss him eagerly, her hands winding themselves through his black curls. They were soft and silky, not at all what she had expected. She had expected them to be coarse, much like him. It was impossible that something on Milo could be so soft and luxurious, she was intrigued and her hands began to run along his body to see what else she could explore.

_Milo. Milo. Milo._

"Milo," she whispered his name savouring the taste of it on her tongue as their lips met once more. She didn't notice the sudden shift of bodies; her mind never registered the tightness of the hands holding her hips. She closed her eyes and rested her head back as she felt her body tingling with ecstasy. She felt the weight of Milo as he collapsed on top of her, his hands winding themselves into her thick hair. A sudden cry escaped her lips as her head was pulled sharply back, her eyes flew open and she found herself staring not into Milo's black gaze but at a blade which shone deathly white in the moonlight.

"If you _ever_ say that name again…I will carve out your tongue."


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Corvus's arms were strong and possessive; Cassia couldn't help but wonder each night as he embraced her how it would be to share these moments with Milo. She tried to close her eyes and envision him when Corvus claimed her each night, but since the night of their wedding he had forced her to look into his eyes as he continuously thrusted. She was careful not to think of Milo, she knew he was unlikely to carry out his threat and carve out her tongue. But she had no doubt that he would punish her in some way. She did not want to suffer the humiliation he would undoubtedly inflict on her.

Each day began to take on a similar pattern until they all blurred into one and Cassia was left completely unaware of how much time had passed. Corvus would wake up shortly before the sun rose each morning, and he was swift to pull Cassia against him. When he had finished he would lie with her in his arms, kissing her ear, nose and cheek, sometimes he would take her again but other days he would leave her be. Rather than having slaves come in and prepare him for the day Corvus preferred for Cassia to undertake the task. She loathed the task almost as much as she loathed him claiming her each day and night. She could feel his eyes wandering along her body, lingering on her curves and caressing her softly as she moved around him. It also forced her to touch him, she couldn't help her fingertips grazing against his bare skin as she helped him into his elegant robes. His breast plate was the worst; it was as if he feared an assassination attempt. Even if he were not entertaining the Emperor or other officials he would wear the heavy armour. Cassia was forced to stand on tippy-toe as she helped him into it, as she secured it across his broad chest and shoulders.

"My dear there seems to be a slight blemish," he would sometimes chide her with a nasty smile on his face. "Be a good girl and polish it off for me, I can hardly be seen in such a state." On these days she was forced to kneel in front of him and buffer the golden metal, it didn't matter that it was blemish free and polished each night before they retired. She was forced to stare at her reflection for what felt like hours, but in reality could only have been minutes, before he finally deemed the breastplate perfect.

Once she had finished dressing him then he would sometimes return the favour. She had been given silk tunics in every shade imaginable, they draped across her body and were fastened at the waist with thick golden belts emphasising her slender figure. Corvus seemed particularly fascinated by her slender arms and would daringly clasp the tunic lightly at her shoulders so they were visible. He showered her with expensive jewels and golden necklaces, yet far from feeling the adored wife Cassia felt nothing more than a prized mare. Her favourite days were the ones in which he left her and sent Accalia in rather than dress Cassia himself. Already Cassia had formed a close bond with Accalia, the woman had promptly been assigned to Cassia as her personal slave and although she missed Ariadne dreadfully, her newfound friendship went some way to helping her deal with her grief.

The sun had not yet risen on one particular morning, Cassia had not slept at all for she had been feeling dreadfully ill. Instead she had tossed and turned within the large bed, biting back groans as waves of nausea rolled over her. She was desperately trying to keep still, terrified that with each toss and turn she was about to wake up Corvus. She was sure that if he tried to take her then and there she would be sick all over him. And while the thought itself was appealing, she knew the reality would be far from it. Beads of sweat broke out across her body and eventually she could take it no more, a pitcher of wine was set up on a small side table and she helped herself to a small cup full of the rich crimson liquid. _It cannot be the food,_ she thought rubbing her belly which was rolling painfully. _Corvus ate far more than I but he is not ill...or if he is he gives no sign of illness._ After she had drunk a second cup she forced herself to return to the bed, the sky was beginning to lighten and she felt her heart twist. The night was her favourite time. She may have had to share the Senator's bed, but he tended to be a heavy sleeper. Once he had rolled off her, he would rarely stir again before the morning. During the day he would send for her at every opportunity, she was never given a moments peace.

As she crawled into the bed beside Corvus and pulled the sheet across herself, she felt him begin to stir. Desperately she rolled onto her side so her back was to him. _Please no,_ she silently begged. _Not this morning...I cannot go through this!_ Tears trickled down her cheeks as Corvus's lips pressed themselves against her shoulder. His hands trailing up her legs until he cupped her rear end.

"Turn over," he whispered hoarsely, "and bid your husband good morning."

"Corvus please," Cassia whispered, "please not this morning."

"Turn _over_ and bid your husband good morning!" He growled forcing her onto her back and trying to mount her. Cassia retched and with a strength she had never possessed before managed to throw him off. She rushed over to an empty pot and helplessly threw up into it. She slumped onto the floor and rested her head against the cool stone wall.

"Good morning, _husband_." She spat bitterly as she retched once more into the pot.

That morning was the first time since their marriage that Corvus summoned the slaves to dress him. He bundled Cassia up in the sheet and forced her back into the bed while he was prepared for the day. Eventually Accalia was permitted into the room to dress her mistress. She had barely finished dressing Cassia's hair with a golden circlet with tear-drop shaped jewels dangling off before she began retching again.

"Cassia when was the last time you bled?" Accalia asked off-handedly.

"Bled?" Cassia gasped between violent retches, "I do not..." But she trailed off, she had been about to ask what Accalia meant but suddenly the woman's question was too clear. Too real.

"You know what happens when a woman lies with a man? The outcome of coupling with your husband?" Numbly Cassia nodded, but internally she was desperately shaking her head. It could not be that. _Why are the gods being so cruel?_ She felt sobs rack her body as she buried her face into her hands and wept helplessly.

She dared not tell Corvus; what if she were wrong and not pregnant? What if she was right and she was? Cassia wasn't sure which outcome was better, and for that reason she kept silent. But she knew she would not be able to remain silent for long. How could she hide a pregnancy from Corvus? He stripped her bare each night, he was bound to notice the gradual swelling of her belly. Cassia looked down at her slim belly, was it beginning to round? Or was that her imagination? She slipped into the steaming waters of the indoor bath and rested her back against the edge, allowing her head to rest on the rim. She had heard tales of women who had fallen pregnant, but who had taken vile potions to end their pregnancies. Could she dare secure herself such a potion? But who could she ask for help? She longed to ask Accalia for surely the slave would know of where to procure such a concoction. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was too frightened. Too frightened to put Accalia in such a position, for if she were caught Corvus would surely have had her tortured and executed. But she was frightened of trusting Accalia. Since arriving in Rome she had been unable to trust anyone. She was surrounded by Corvus's peoples. His political allies, his admirers, his slaves. Anyone who could gain from Corvus surrounded him, and she was sure they would use her against him if it would further their own cause.

_You cannot kill the child_. A voice scolded her, why should the child suffer for its father? But what if the child became a monster just like its father? At the sound of heavy footsteps Cassia forced her eyes open and was horrified to see Corvus standing at the edge of the bath opposite her, staring at her intently. Slowly he lowered himself into the heated water and swam towards her, trapping her between the bath and his own body. As he lowered his mouth onto hers she could feel his desire and her stomach rolled in protest.

"Corvus please," she whispered turning her head away and forcing the kiss to end. "Not here someone may see us!" _What if he hurts the child?_ She thought as he turned away from her in disgust. Could she bring herself to welcome him into her arms in hopes that it would dislodge the child? Before Corvus could change his mind Cassia pulled herself from the bath and wrapped a sheet about her person as she made her way to the small dressing chamber.

"No one will dare to come in here," Corvus's voice was low as if he too wanted to remain undiscovered. He lightly stroked her arms with the tips of his fingers, running them down and up again so sensually that Cassia felt her skin break out in goosebumps. She could hear the soft _drip, drip_ as droplets of water slipped from his skin and onto the floor below.

"Please. No." Cassia whispered trying to step away from him, but his fingers stopped their sensual caressing and instead gripped her upper arms with a painful vicelike grip.

"You are my _wife_," he hissed. "My _property_. You are mine to do with as I please regardless of whether you want it or not. I told you before Cassia I would break you. You will sit, kneel and _crawl_ as I command you! I have showered you with beautiful dresses and beautiful jewels. Each night I shower you with love, yet in return all I meet is resistance. Did you think I would just accept this?" He hissed in her ear as he began to tear the sheet she was using to hide herself.

"_Please_," Cassia whispered, "I am not defying you. I _cannot_...not now..._please_."

"Why? Why can you not carry out your duty as a wife as I carry mine as a Roman Senator and a husband?"

"I...I am pregnant," she forced her voice to remain calm and to not break down into fresh sobs. But if she had been hoping this answer would prompt Corvus into forgoing his lust, then she was sorely mistaken.


	7. Chapter Six

**I apologise for the short chapter and absence, I'm in the middle of writing a dissertation so trying not to procrastinate too much! I'm sorry I may have gotten some dates wrong, I know Pompeii was destroyed in 79AD (August I think…) and the Colosseum was opened in 80AD but I'm not sure of the exact month so I may have jiggled it around and possibly moved it earlier than it was, I apologise – as a Historian I'm normally right on inaccuracies like this…Sorry!**

**Chapter Six**

Cassia watched with fascination as her belly began to swell over the passing months. Corvus boasted that it was a sign their marriage was blessed by the gods, to be pregnant within the first month of marriage – and after barely escaping Pompeii with their lives! He had altered his abduction, and instead recounted a heroic tale to those who asked of their escape from the city of fire. Each time she heard his embellishment she bit down on her tongue, what good would come from correcting him? From revealing the truth? Corvus would put it down to the trauma she had suffered, and would only punish her later on when they were alone.

The past six months Cassia had witnessed a flurry of activity in Rome, and she had realised that her father's invitation to the Roman Senator had been futile. The Emperor would never have invested in her father's plans for expanding Pompeii; he was too busy with his own plans for Rome. The Colosseum was his favourite project, and each time Cassia heard the giant structure mentioned her loathing for Corvus only intensified.

"Did you ever have any intentions of funding my father's plans?" She bitterly asked Corvus as she undressed him, the swelling of her belly was making this increasingly difficult and she refused to help him undress completely.

"Had I signed the contracts I would have been obligated to fund his silly project," Corvus waved her to sit down so he could finish the task himself. "You must know by now my true intentions Cassia. _You_ were the reason I went to that forsaken holiday resort." Cassia wandered over to a table and poured herself a cup of wine, she sloppily poured a second one for Corvus but left it for him to take. "You will come to see Rome sooner rather than later," Corvus wrapped his arm around her swollen belly and kissed her lips. "Had I not saved –"

"_Stop it_!" Cassia cried throwing the cup of wine to the floor and splashing them both with the contents. "I can barely sit there while you lie to others about how you "_saved_" me, I will not have you trying to convince yourself or me that, that is what you truly did! You _abducted_ me! You blackmailed me to agree to marry you, and you had to shackle me to a chariot just to bring me here, do you really think I wanted to be your wife? I refused you upon your first night in Pompeii!"

"Cassia –

"_No_! No more Corvus! I will bite my tongue in public; I will not embarrass you and reveal the truth. But you will no longer insult my father, my mother nor Pompeii." She quickly quelled her anger as a slave rushed in to clean up the spilled wine, when he had left the room Corvus quickly changed the subject before she could lose her temper once more.

"Tomorrow we will attend the opening games of Emperor Titus's new Colosseum," he pulled her towards the bed and lightly pushed her onto her back. "We will be sitting with the Emperor and you will be on your best behaviour." He growled into her ear, biting it lightly in warning. Cassia felt her limbs turn to ice and she shook her head weakly.

"No…"

"_Yes_! And you will smile and you will enjoy the games like a _civilised_ person."

"There is nothing civilised about games such as those, it is just needless slaughter and I want no part of it!"

As promised Cassia found herself seated beside the Emperor Titus after he opened the games of the Colosseum. Despite herself she was overwhelmed by the breath-taking structure, it was so large she was sure the citizens of Pompeii could have all comfortably lived within it. She accepted wine from Corvus and forced herself to smile as the Emperor greeted her and sat beside her. "Pregnancy suits you my dear, I pray the gods bless you both with a son." Corvus sat on her other side and brought her hand to his lips.

"The gods have blessed us so far, I am sure they will grant us many sons." There was a wicked glimmer in his pale eyes and Cassia felt sweat breaking out across her body. What had he planned? Her eyes trailed across to the gladiators who were fighting below, she could feel Corvus watching her intently as her eyes swept across the gigantic arena. Several times her heart stopped, many of the gladiators had dark curly hair and she couldn't help but fear that Corvus had somehow found Milo. _He is dead;_ she told herself tears stinging her eyes. She could hear the Emperor talking to her but she didn't register his words, it wasn't until Corvus squeezed her hand warningly that she realised he had asked her a question. Embarrassed she turned to the Emperor, unaware that she had been silently crying.

"My dear are you alright?" The Emperor asked and Cassia hurriedly ducked her head.

"Forgive me," she whispered hurriedly trying to dry her eyes. "The day the gods destroyed Pompeii…the Senator had only just opened our own games that day. Being here, it is just a reminder…" Cassia saw her opportunity to escape and paused wiping her eyes.

"Cassia, I did not think." Corvus's voice was low in warning but Cassia forced herself to smile as fresh tears slipped from her eyes.

"Of course Senator, you did not lose your family that day." She turned away from Corvus and looked at the Emperor. "Forgive me Emperor, I do not wish to ruin your joy on this day. Your Colosseum is truly magnificent, a structure I am sure even the gods would envy. But perhaps you could excuse me?" The Emperor nodded and looked at Corvus.

"You will remain I am sure?" He enquired.

"Of course," Corvus shot a furious glance at Cassia and she smiled at him, carefully she leant forwards to plant a light kiss on his cheek clearly catching him by surprise.

"I told you in Pompeii, you will not break me." She whispered, her lips still brushing his cheek to make sure that only he would hear her.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

Accalia was waiting for Cassia just outside of the Emperor's box; she looked startled to see Cassia so soon and hurried after her mistress. "I have angered him I am sure," Cassia couldn't help the small smile on her lips. She knew she would pay for going against his wishes, for leaving when the games had only started, but also by reminding him of how she had humiliated him during the games. "I suppose I should be thankful that while I carry his child he will not hurt me too much for fear of harming the babe…" What would he do if she bore him a daughter? She had told no one that she prayed that she carried a daughter; it would be her greatest revenge on Corvus. Denying him a son that she knew he craved.

"You should be careful Cassia; the Senator is not a man to be crossed."

"I will not bow down to him," Cassia said fiercely.

"You will not carry his child forever; think of what he could do to you when that babe is no longer in your belly."

"He can kill me for all I care," Cassia whispered, "I have nothing left to live for." Although she was mesmerised by her rapidly growing belly she couldn't bring herself to form an attachment to the child growing inside of her. She did not doubt that Corvus would use the child against her, and that if it turned out to be a boy it could grow to be just as cruel as its father. _Milo,_ she thought blinking back tears. "Accalia…have you heard of anymore survivors arriving from Pompeii?" She paused and turned to look at Accalia who was looking unsure.

"No," she whispered shaking her head. Cassia opened her mouth to argue, she could tell the slave was lying but Accalia cut her off. "Please my lady you ask me this question every day. Whoever you lost in Pompeii I am sorry but they are gone. Please do not ask me again." _Is Milo alive?_ Hope flared in Cassia's heart but it was quashed instantly, she remembered how Corvus had stared at her only moments before. The cruel glimmer in his eyes and smile as he had stared at her intently. If Milo was alive and Corvus knew about it then it was surely not good news. _If he is truly alive then he survived Pompeii…if he can survive that then I am sure he can survive whatever Corvus has planned for him._ But Cassia couldn't bring herself to believe this. Accalia took her arm and gently led her from the Colosseum and towards the thriving market place, it was less crowded than normal but there were still sellers out trying to push their wares on people. "We should buy you more fabrics; you are only going to get bigger. And perhaps we can find something for you to wear after the birth? To please the Senator should you –" She cut herself off but Cassia knew what she was about to say.

"Nothing would make me happier than to give the Senator a daughter." Cassia hissed waspishly but she went along with Accalia and purchased several bolts of the most expensive silks she could find. Accalia pulled Cassia away from the crowd and sat beside her mistress so they could rest for a while. "Cassia forgive me for being impertinent but what has happened between you and the Senator? Ever since you have arrived you have seemed fearful and loathing towards him. Yet he is your _husband_, he saved you from certain death. He is a powerful man but he has always shown kindness to women…"

"I am sure he has always been kind to the women who flock to his bed." Cassia said coldly, "but I have never been one of those women. I left Rome to escape the Senator's advances, yet he followed me back to Pompeii under the lie that he was to negotiate on the Emperor's behalf on my father's improvements for Pompeii. His first night there he proposed to me but I refused." She had never told anyone of what had taken place in Pompeii; she had only wanted to push the thoughts to the back of her mind and to forget them. "He is not a kind man; women have only flocked to him for his power and influence. I want none of that. I want a husband that I can love…I would not care if the man was a slave." Accalia looked at her sharply, her face a mask of disbelief.

"You may think that now my lady but you could not be happy with a slave. You would forever be looking over your shoulder for fear he would be caught and executed as an escapee." Cassia couldn't bring herself to reply, she had never had a chance to envision her life with Milo. She was certain her mother had known she had feelings for Milo, but even if the Senator had not been around would she have allowed something to happen? The daughter of Pompeii's ruler and a slave…would her parents really have allowed that? She flinched as the baby began kicking and rested her hand on the bump.

"I hope this is not a sign it is going to be as blood thirsty as its father," she said wondering if the child knew they were not watching the games.

"The Senator is not bloodthirsty, he is a soldier – it is his duty." Cassia studied Accalia out of the corner of her eye, she had served the Senator for years and although the woman was fearful of him she also deeply respected him. Could he be that bad? _Yes,_ a voice scolded her. _Accalia is a slave to Corvus she is nothing but a fly. How many times has he even acknowledged her?_ "The games will go on for several hours Cassia…would you like to go back to the villa or shall we walk?"

"Walk," Cassia nodded carefully standing up, "it is too nice to be cooped up inside the villa." She longed to confide in Accalia the truth about Pompeii, but she doubted the woman would believe her. She had lived in Rome for almost a year before she lost everything, six months on she still could not bring herself to think of Rome as home. The winding streets, scents, sights and sounds were all familiar to her as the back of her hand. But she cared for none of them. They didn't bring up feelings of comfort or security; instead they filled her with grief and longing. What did Pompeii look like? The Emperor had sent soldiers to the ruined city, but Cassia had not been told what they had found. Corvus had told her it would upset her too much, that she should put Pompeii out of her mind and forget it.

"I will not be humiliated like that in public," Corvus growled as he joined Cassia for dinner in the evening.

"I did not humiliate you, the Emperor gave me permission to leave and I saw no reason to stay." Cassia sipped at her wine and ignored the food set between them; she found she had no appetite. "You know how I feel about games such as those; you _knew_ it would upset me and remind me of home –"

"_Rome_ is your home," Corvus growled picking up a piece of chicken and biting into it hungrily. Cassia bit back a sigh and stayed silent while Corvus finished eating. "It is a shame you left early, there is someone who was keen to meet you after the games." Cassia looked up at him sharply unsure of where he was going, "I have offered him a room to stay in until he finds his feet back in Rome. It has been quite a while since he has been here." Corvus cleaned his hand on a cloth handed to him by a slave and gestured for Cassia to rise; he rested a hand around her expanding waist and led her towards the courtyard. The sun was beginning to set, turning the sky from its brilliant azure blue to a warm coral pink. The air was thick with a sweet floral scent and honey, Cassia's senses were already sensitive due to her pregnancy and she pressed her hand to her mouth suddenly frightened that she might be sick. "Emperor Titus was right when he complimented you on pregnancy. You are even more enchanting,"

"I do not feel it." She had always held a slender figure and found the sudden bulk of pregnancy awkward and lumbering. She didn't feel graceful or attractive; she just wanted to hide herself away.

"Nonsense my dear you are radiant, I hope to keep you filled with sons." Cassia paused and turned away as she tried to stop herself from retching. "It is rude to keep our guest waiting Cassia; he has been hoping to see you again all day." Dread was beginning to creep through her body, she felt it starting in the tips of her toes and working its way up to her heart. She couldn't think who this person was, but she knew if Corvus was offering them lodgings then it would not be someone she'd care to see. Ahead of them she could see a tall figure with dark hair dressed in polished armour, she didn't need the person to turn around to tell that she had been right.

"H – How?" Cassia choked, "you said no one would have survived…how…" As the man turned around she felt herself fall to the ground into darkness.

Something cool and damp was pressed against Cassia's forehead, she could hear voices speaking but their words made no sense. How could he could be alive? The last time she had seen him Corvus had shackled her to a carriage and ridden off, leaving the man with a handful of Roman soldiers and two slaves. How could he have escaped the sea of heat?

"Is she awake yet?"

"I think she is beginning to wake now sir," she recognised Accalia's voice and tried to force her eyes to open. Something felt as if it was kicking against the inside of her belly and she let out an agonised moan. "Ssh my lady the baby is just kicking."

"If she has harmed my son –"

"The child is safe Senator," Accalia reassured Corvus as he glared down at Cassia. Weakly she finally managed to force her eyes open, "she just had a shock."

"How did he survive?" Cassia gasped drinking deeply from the pitcher of water Accalia pressed to her lips. She tried to swing her legs out of the bed but both Accalia and Corvus pushed her back down.

"You should rest my lady," Accalia gently coaxed her to drink more water and left at Corvus's dismissal.

"Why are you so intent on making a fool of me?" He growled at her sitting beside her on the bed.

"What do you expect when you throw something like that at me? How am I supposed to react when the man you ordered to kill the man I love –" she cried out as Corvus struck her across the face knocking her flat onto her back.

"You love no other man but me," he growled.

"_No_!" Cassia hissed finding the strength to shove him off her and sit up. "I will _never_ love you. I feel only despise and pity for you, no woman would ever love you. The women who draped themselves in your lap and followed you to your bed cared nothing for you. They just craved the power and influence that you held." She saw Corvus's eyes widen in disbelief and she carefully stood up, he gripped her wrist tightly and she looked down at him with a glowering expression.

"Cassia –"

"You do not love me, why should I love you in return for emptiness? If Pompeii had not been destroyed you would still have forced me to marry you, and you would have used my family to force me to do your bidding at every turn. Well they are dead Corvus. You are right; I should put the past behind me and forget Pompeii. But that does not mean I am about to forget that you are a monster." She strode from the room with as much dignity as she could muster with her swollen belly, she found Proculus standing outside and she glared at him. "The gods will punish you," she hissed as he smirked down at her. His beady black eyes were smug, and she longed to reach up and slap him.

"That is what your slave said," he laughed, "before I cut out his tongue." Cassia felt her knees begin to buckle but she forced herself to smile and laugh coldly.

"You have no proof. The Senator may be fool enough to believe your meaningless words, but I know better. If you have survived then Milo has survived and he will come for me." Hot fingers pinched around her arm and she glared up at Corvus.

"I told you if you spoke that name I would carve out your tongue. But I will excuse your grief," he growled. "Your slave is dead, but let me put your mind at ease. You are _my_ wife and _my property._ If a slave were to try and steal you from me I would make him beg for his death." Cassia spat at both men's feet and pulled her arm free from Corvus's grip.

"I pray that the gods give me a daughter so that every time you look at her you feel the disappointment and loathing that I feel when I look upon you."


End file.
